Rep. Bok Gi-wang of the Democratic Party urged bipartisan cooperation to revise special laws to address the rising construction costs of Gadeokdo Airport and expedite its construction.
During a National Assembly audit on October 22 at the Incheon International Airport Corporation, Rep. Bok highlighted the delays in discussions regarding measures to reflect the increased construction costs.
He noted that while negotiations are ongoing between the Daewoo Engineering & Construction consortium and the government following the Hyundai Engineering consortium's withdrawal, it is essential to establish a basis for incorporating inflation into the construction costs. He argued that relying on government guidelines could lead to future audit issues, making a special law necessary.
While acknowledging the criticism of the government's delayed response, he emphasized that lawmakers should collaborate on legislation rather than politicizing the project. He reiterated, "It is crucial to break ground on Gadeokdo Airport as soon as possible."
The government is pursuing a revision of special laws to allow for the inclusion of inflation that occurred before contract signing due to unavoidable circumstances such as war. This aims to provide a basis for compensating construction costs and to resolve uncertainties in contracts with the construction consortium.
Rep. Bok also raised concerns about the withdrawal of local companies from the consortium, attributing it to delays in government policy decisions. He pointed out that some members of the People Power Party have suggested that the delay in government decisions led to companies abandoning the project, urging a focus on prompt construction.
Lee Yun-sang, head of the Gadeokdo Airport Construction Authority, responded, "I heard it was due to the internal circumstances of the companies," indicating that it is difficult to conclude that the delays in policy decisions were the sole reason.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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